The Big Book of Wheat-Free Cooking: Includes Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, and Reduced Fat Recipes

1 tablespoon organic milk

A little organic milk or beaten egg for brushing

Topping

12 heaped teaspoons half-fat crème fraîche

12 small pieces smoked salmon

12 little sprigs fresh dill

A little lemon juice

A little cayenne pepper

A scattering of rocket (arugula) and a little cold pressed extra virgin olive oil to serve

6cm/2½ in round fluted pastry cutter

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas mark 5.

Sift the flour into a food processor and add the other biscuit ingredients, except the milk. Mix until blended then add enough milk to make a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and shape into a ball. At this stage you can wrap and either chill or freeze the dough for future use.

Roll the dough out to a thickness of about 1cm/½ in and cut into rounds with the cutter. Roll out the trimmings to make the next batch. Place the biscuits on a baking tray, brush them with a little milk or beaten egg and bake for about 10 minutes until golden. Cool for a few moments and transfer the biscuits to a wire rack to cool completely.

You can also freeze them at this stage and reheat before using.

Place two biscuits on each plate and spoon a dollop of crème fraîche on top of each. Cover with a generous slice of smoked salmon, twisted nicely to sit on top of the crème fraîche. Top it with a little sprig of dill, sprinkle with a little lemon juice and dust with a little cayenne pepper. Arrange a small handful of rocket (arugula) leaves around the biscuits and serve with a drizzle of oil.

Parmesan Biscuits with Smoked Salmon and Crème Fraîche

Mini Potato Pancakes with Smoked Trout and Salsa

These pancakes can be frozen, which makes them an ideal Christmas appetizer – simply warm them through, top them and serve. You can change the topping to rare roast beef topped with a dollop of crème fraîche, mixed with horseradish and black pepper. Alternatively, how about using smoked mackerel in the same way and serve it with chopped dill? For a vegetarian option, simply swap the smoked trout for slices of roast sweet peppers (bell peppers). The pancakes are also delicious spread simply with butter or dairy-free margarine.

Makes 18–20 canapés or serves 6 as an appetizer

(double the ingredients for New Year’s Eve menu here (#litres_trial_promo))

Pancakes

340g/12oz floury potatoes, such as King Edward, peeled and cut into large chunks

Sea salt

115g/1 heaped cup wheat-free flour mix* (#litres_trial_promo)

Cold pressed extra virgin olive oil for cooking

Topping

18–20 heaped teaspoons half-fat crème fraîche orTofutti dairy-free Creamy Smooth cream-style cheese (see here (#litres_trial_promo) for stockist)

2 large fillets of skinless smoked trout

170g/6oz tub fresh salsa* (#litres_trial_promo) (can be frozen until needed)

Optional

Some rocket (arugula) and extra virgin olive oil

5cm/2in round metal pastry cutter

Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the potatoes and cook until soft. Drain the potatoes in a colander set over the pan, cover with a tea towel and leave to steam dry for 5 minutes. Mash the potatoes in a bowl with a pinch of salt until smooth.

Gradually beat the flour into the potatoes using a wooden spoon; you may have to use your hands towards the end, as the dough may be very thick. Knead the dough lightly on a floured board. Cut in half and roll out to a thickness of 5mm/¼in. Use your cutter to stamp out 5cm/2in rounds. Knead the dough remnants gently back into the remaining ball of dough, roll out again and repeat until all the dough is used up.

Brush a large non-stick frying pan (skillet) with some oil, place it over a medium heat and cook the pancakes on one side until they are firm enough to flip over and are tinged with golden brown. You will need to cook them in batches. Cool the pancakes on a wire rack lined with non-stick baking parchment (wax paper).

You can layer the pancakes in non-stick baking parchment (wax paper), wrap them in kitchen foil and freeze until needed. Defrost and bake for about 3–5 minutes in a hot oven.

Decorate the serving plates with some rocket (arugula) and a drizzle of oil. Arrange three pancakes on each plate and top each with a dollop of the crème fraîche or dairy-free sour cream. Decorate with a generous piece of smoked trout and sprinkle with a pinch of pepper. If you are serving them as an appetizer, spoon a neat pile of salsa on the edge of one of the pancakes and serve immediately. To serve them as canapés, top each pancake with a blob of salsa.

Smoked Salmon and Crab Timbales

This is a very easy and useful appetizer for special parties because you can make it in the morning and simply turn the timbales out onto plates a few minutes before sitting down to eat. Walnut Bread* and Rye and Barley Soda Bread* (see here) are both delicious with the salmon.

Makes 4–5

170g/6oz packet smoked salmon

170g/6oz fresh, canned or frozen and defrosted white crab meat

2 heaped tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise* (#litres_trial_promo) (check the label for added wheat)

4 teaspoons lemon juice

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 ripe vine tomatoes, peeled

15g/½oz fresh dill, finely chopped

1 small ripe avocado

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons cold pressed extra virgin olive oil